It’s my first pit… woo hoo!
So, I’m having a conversation with a friend of mine, in which he mentions that his stocks took a pleasant upturn today, and he garnered about 5K. I congratulated him on his good fortune. He asked me (and did at least qualify it with “if you don’t mind me asking”) whether I had any stocks.
I tried to supress my laughter and said that no, I do not. Well you would have thought I had announced that I had voluntarily distributed the plague in a nursery school. “How can you not have stocks? No 401k, no nothing?” I explained that since I’m a consultant, I don’t have a 401k, and the funds to open an IRA for myself have been non existent. I explained to him that as of now my pay breaks down like so:
65% Child Support (Automatically Deducted from my pay, woo hoo)
20% Rent
10% Commuting
5% Food
I don’t think that’s an extravagant lifestyle there. Well, he proceeds to inform me that he can manage to put away 17% out of his pay every week. Yay! Excellent for you, my friend! I am truly happy for you.
Me: When I get myself straightened out, believe me, I plan on doing the same.
Him: It’s stupid of you not to do it now.
Me: Where am I supposed to get the money, exactly?
Him: Well, I do it and I have a house to maintain.
Me: Ok…
Him: I have a truck and an SUV - and do you have any idea how much that costs gaswise?
Me: Ok…
Him: I have a teenage daughter. I have to drive 15 miles to work. She drives 12 miles to school, and then 12 miles to work.
Me: Ooook…
Him: Not to mention, she’s going to be going to college soon.
Me: Sigh Yes?
Him: So it’s not like I’m exactly rolling in it either.
Me (thinking, but not saying): OK, but you also have a wife, that works and brings in money. My husband still lives across the FREAKIN planet, and is not a source of income. You have one teenage daughter - who by your own account has a job of her own - to support - I have three young children to help support. But that’s okay, fine, it’s not easy for you either. I can respect that.
Him: But I guess I can’t complain too much… I mean, the house and cars are paid for.
Me: (stunned)
Him: I have about 100,000 in stocks and bonds.
Me: (beyond words)
Him: Oh, and 15K in another IRA.
Me: (blank with incomprehension)
Him: Anyway, you really need to buckle down and put some money in an IRA.
Me: (Thinking but not saying) Well, Mr. Fucking Money Bags, why don’t you GIVE it to me then, if it’s so important to you.
What pissed me off was every time I tried to explain why I run low on funds, he had to “one-down” me. I gave up after a couple of attempts to explain - I was not about to get into a “who has the bigger sob story” contest. It just drives me nuts that someone who is supposedly a friend of mine can’t just accept that I’m broke, and has to make it seem like I’m far luckier than he, when in reality his financial situation is better at his so-called low point than mine has ever been.
I know, it was a lame rant but… just had to get it outta my head.
